“God, baby!” Beckett pulled away long enough to give her a kiss. “Are you okay? I was so fucking scared.”
“B-Beckett?” Evie glanced down, confused by the growing inferno in her belly.
“Evie? What is it? What’s…” His sharp intake of air sounded as he saw what she was seeing.
Thick, bright red blood had begun seeping out from between her fingers. She pushed harder against the wound, hoping to stop the hemorrhaging. But the move caused even more blood to escape, and soon her entire hand was covered.
“Ah, Christ.” Beckett sounded sick to his soul as he cried out to the others, “She’s hurt!”
“I can’t…” Evie’s legs gave out from beneath her, but he was there to break her fall.
Just like he was always there, having put his life on the line for hers…again. Only problem was, this time, he may have been too late.
“Open your eyes, Evie!” he yelled from somewhere far way. “Come on, darlin’. Let me see that gorgeous stare of yours.”
They’re closed? When did I close my eyes?
Evie’s lids fluttered open to find Beckett’s wild gaze hovering directly overhead.
“There you are.” He smiled, placing his hands over hers to apply more pressure to the still-bleeding wound. “That’s it, Evie. Just keep lookin’ right at me.”
There’s nothing else I’d rather see.
Tears fell from the corners of her eyes. “I-I’m…sorry.”
“No, darlin’,” he soothed. “Nothin’ about any of this is your fault.”
“Need to…t-tell you…something.”
“I’m right here.” The corners of his lips curved even as his eyes shimmered with what appeared to be a sudden well of unshed tears. “And I’m not going anywhere.”
“Good.” Evie forced a weak smile of her own. “’Cause I l-love you.”
The moisture she’d suspected were tears fell over his rugged cheeks. “Ah, Evie.” He leaned down and pressed his lips to hers. “I love you, too. So fucking much.”
“Y-You do?”
“More than I’ve ever loved anything or anyone.” His watery smile filled her overworked heart. “And I gotta say, it’s a damn good thing you love me back, because I have all sorts of plans.”
“P-plans?”
“Oh, yeah. But you just relax for now, because we have the rest of our lives to talk about all that.”
The rest of their…
The world around her began to fade, but Evie was determined to keep the darkness pulling her under at bay.
“I want to…hear the…p-plan.”
His worried stare closed in on hers, but he kept his voice calm and light as he spoke of her dream come true.
“Basically, you’re stuck with me,” he told her flat-out as his hands worked to keep her stable. “And I want it all, too. We’re going to get married, have lots and lots of wild, crazy monkey sex…and babies.”
“B-babies?” Her heart swelled at the idea of the two of them creating a family.
“Oh, yeah.” Beckett nodded. “As many as you’ll agree to have. I’m serious, Evie.” He brought his loving gaze back up to hers. “I want it all. With you. From now until forever.”
Until forever…